Virus lockdowns send car sales down 55 per cent

Window shopping was all most European consumers could do last month as non-essential businesses have been closed to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, leading to a collapse in car sales last month.

European automobile sales fell by 55 percent last month due to the coronavirus outbreak as lockdown measures went into effect in most nations, the industry's trade association said Friday.

New car registrations -- a proxy for sales -- slumped to 567,308 vehicles last month, compared to over 1.2 million during the same month last year, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said.